Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-15
DOWN BY THE BAY.
soNx NOTES ABOUT GLOUCESTER AND
MATHEWS COUNTIES.
Old Estates and Churches-fhs Tracking
Interest Fish and oystsrs-Cateh-
ing the Alewife.
Especial correspondence Of the Disps,ch.l


water Virginia. The people were rich
and prosperous. Many of them were
the owners of hundreds of slaves and
thousands of acres of land. All along
the water-courses magnificent farms
were 10 be seen, with rich fields OF
gram. In those days little or no at
tention was given to the fish and oyster
interest, which now is one OF the chief
industries of the people of that sec
ton. Here and there are to bc seen
fields which were in years pas. in a
high state OF cultivation that are not
titled now and are growing up in I'M
dergrowth. Much of this is to be at
tributed to the want of labor. Labor
is hard to procure, for the reason that
the colored man prefers catching oys-
tiers aud fish for market TO following
the pillow.
OLD CHURCHES.
In the early history of Virginia this
portion Of the State was settled by the
cavalier element from the mother coun-
try, and in many sections at this time
are to he seen old colonial dwellings
and churches, in good state OF
preservation, that were built III the
seventeenth century. In Gloucester
county are old Abingdon and Ware
churches, and in Mathews the King
ston-all three Episcopal They are
built after the old English design, and
are fine specimens of architecture. Ser
vices are held in each of them regular
ly. Gloucester III We olden times was
divided into four parlshcs-the Ablng-
don, Ware, Kingston, and Petsworth.
The old church at which the parishon-
ers of Petsworth worshipped has en-
tiroly disappeared. II was situated on
the farm OF the Hon. James \. Stubs.
1t is said TO have been in its day one of
the handsomest churches III Virginia.
The old people now take pleasure III
speaking of the handsome structure
and Of the beautiful paintings that
adorned It's walls. Years ago the bricks
from its ruins were bought by Hugh A.
Garland, taken to Old Point Comfort,
and with them was built the first hotel
on the Government reservation at that
place.
Abingdon church is in the lower por-
ton of Gloucester cOunty, SIX miles
from Gloucester Point. I'm the burial
grounds near the church rest number
of the earlier settlers of Virginia.
OLD FARMS.
On the York, the Severn. the Ware,
the North. and the East rivers in ante
lellum days were magnificent farms.
On the York were the elegant estates of
the Pages, !. w. G. Catlctt, Colonel
w. Jones, and others. On Timbernake
creek. which empties into York river,
on the farm of John II. i. ScIwcll,
stands an old sandstone chimney, which
was built 10y q Dutchman sent from
jamestown 10y the friends of Captain
John Smith to build a chimney to the
wigwam Of the Indian King Powhatln,
who was the ruler of these domains at
that time. On the shores Of the York
near where the chimney stands is said
70 have been situated the famous IN
dian town known in history as Wero-
wocomoco, and doubtless there was
large settlement 81 Indians III this Vi
cinitv, for large mounds of oyster
slells-locally known as Indian banks
can still he seen, and arroW-heads and
other relies of savage life are still to toe
found. On the Severn lived noted fami-
lies. Among them were the ThurstonS,
tie Royans, Clarkes, Sinclairs, and
others. while on the Ware and North
rivers lived IN splendid style, dispensing
munificent hospitality, the Perrins,
Byrds, Taliafcuos, Dabneys. Tabs,
Rows, and others. On these two rivers
were come of the most splendid estates
in Virginia. On East river, IN Mathews
county, were some very handsome resi-
dences- notably Poplar Grove, now
the home Of Judge &. i. Garnet. On
the Tiankatank riveris the noted Hesse
estate. Many of these large estates
have been subdivided, and the farming
community have turned their attention
TO trucking. On the lowgroundS on
the Severn. Ware, and North rivers
large quantities of hay are produced.
In Mathews county particularly the
holdings have been quite small, and the
farmers cultivate upon them corn and
wheat, principally for home consump-
ton, and devote the greater portion of
their time to the fish and oyster in
terest.
OYSTERS.
From the rivers of this section there
are numerous creeks ana coveS that
lead M and branch off in divers direc
tions. These are filled with the choicest
oysters. The oyster-rock or natural
beds ON which oysters grow is found at
the mouth of the Rappahannock river
as well as in the Mobjack and Chesa
peake bays, and during the season
hundreds of small sail-boats containing
from two to three people armed with
tongs and culling boards, known to the
oyster and fisherman as canoes, dot
these waters, their owners briskly
plying their tongs catching oysters for
market. A tonger will catch several
bushels per day, each boat averaging
from fifteen IL twenty-five bushels, for
which is gotten 12l to ID cents per
bushels in the summer, and during the
oyster season from 30 TO 10 cents, ac-
cording 10 condition. The oyster
planting has become one of the main
Industries i'll this section. The planters
send their vessels 10 the various natural
oyster-rocks, where the vessels are
loaded with oysters purchased from the
tongers. These are taken to the plant
ing grounds which he has staked off III
the rivers and along the creeks and
covos and along the bay shore. They
are scattered in quantities from 1000
to $500 bushels to the acre, and al
lowed to remain for one or two seasons,
80 as to allow them TO fatten and in
crease in size. When taken up they
are barrelled and shipped to market.
In the months OF December and Jan
nary these oysters are superb, but in
September and early October they are
not SO fat, and therefore not so good,
and the traders often complain. Last
season thousands of bushels were
shipped. First bring 81 per bushel,
second IS cents, and third 30 TO go
cents per bushel.
FISH.
in the spring and summer fish are
plentiful. You have herring, sha1,
founder, croaker, trout, boneta, &c.
They are caught in pound-nets. In
the fall large quantities are caught with
seine, which are Of immense length,
averaging from 10 to 100 fathoms. To